News

Overseas training on Leprosy for a group of Medical Officers and Public Health Inspectors

An overseas training on Leprosy was provided for a group of eleven (11) Medical Officers and Public Health Inspectors from the Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa districts and the Clombo Municipal Council (CMC).

Agreement with the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA)

On the 1st May 2018 FAIRMED FOUNDATION has renewed the agreement signed with the SLMA with few modifications to the agreement. According to the new agreement both Sri Lankan medical and non-medical individuals can apply for research grants through the SLMA.

Leprosy Day 2018

World Leprosy Day 2017 Celebrations in Sri Lanka

National Leprosy Day 2017 was commemorated at the Health Education Bureau of the Ministry of Health. The event was themed "A Leprosy Free Sri Lanka by 2020" and was held under the auspices of Dr.Jayasundara Bandara, Director General Of Health Services

Here is the latest from the Anti- Leprosy Campaign of the Ministry of Health on Leprosy in Sri Lanka

FACT SHEET FOR WORLD LEPROSY DAY 2017

What is leprosy?

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae), which affects the skin and the peripheral nerves.Transmission of leprosy occurs by droplet infection. The disease is transmitted from human to human and there is no known reservoir or a vector. The disease is not spread to others by a person who has taken treatment.Leprosy is easily diagnosable, treatable and curable. Leprosy is diagnosed mainly by clinical criteria.A major issue associated with leprosy is the development of disabilities leading to loss of productivity and social stigma. These disabilities result from reactions occurring at any stage of the disease even after completion of treatment. The disabilities could be prevented by early detection and treatment.

History of leprosy in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the first Leprosy hospital was started by the Dutch rulers in 1708. Effective treatment for leprosy was discovered in the 1940s. In 1954, Anti-Leprosy Campaign was established as a vertical program in the country. Nowadays leprosy is treated with more than one antibiotic for 6 or 12 months depending on the type of disease. In 1989, Anti-Leprosy Campaign launched the most successful social marketing campaign against leprosy and it enhanced the self-reporting among affected patients. In 1995, Sri Lanka achieved the elimination target as a country. Following this in 2001, leprosy services were integrated into to the general health services in the county.

Current situation of leprosy in Sri Lanka

Around 2000 new patients are being reported every year for the past 10 years

Up to now, 1821 patients were identified in 2016

Patients are reported from 26 districts in the country

Nearly 43% of the patients were reported from Western province which amounts to 779 patients

Highest number of cases in 2016 are from Colombo district (279 cases)

Sri Lanka compared to other South East Asian countries has a high percentage (9-10% of patients) with visible deformities at the time of diagnosis

Percentage of children less than 15 years was nearly 9-10% indicating active transmission of disease from undiagnosed leprosy patients

Child cases were high in districts such as Colombo, Gampaha, and Galle

Nearly 50% of new patients were diagnosed late more than 6 months after appearance of symptoms indicating lack of awareness among the public

Leprosy control activities in Sri Lanka

Consultant Dermatologists are responsible for the diagnosis and management of the disease in the country. Regional Epidemiologist and Leprosy Control PHI attached to the Regional Director of Health Services are responsible for leprosy control activities at district level. Leprosy was made a notifiable disease in 2013 and all leprosy patients are visited and followed up by range PHIs in their homes to ensure compliance and to carry out contact tracing.Anti-Leprosy Campaign is responsible for technical guidance, training of staff and policy planning.

Vision

Leprosy free Sri Lanka

Mission

To stop transmission of the disease and to plan and implement cost effective quality leprosy services to all persons affected with leprosy and to sustain such services to ensure a reasonable quality of life to those affected.

Major Challenges faced by Anti-Leprosy Campaign

Unabated active transmission of the disease and lack of reduction of leprosy burden for the last 15 years (annually around 2000 cases)

From Around the World- Leprosy Day 2017

As the annual Leprosy Day falls on the final Sunday in January, this year the world celebrated the day of remembrance for all those who have been marginalised and stigmatised due to the disease on the 29th day or 2017.

Shared is a collection of news articles published from around the world, commemorating a day which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says is a tribute to the tireless efforts taken to tackle the diseases by the countries preeminent founding father Mahatma Gandhi.

For information on the latest efforts to combat leprosy, check out the latest developments here.

Overseas training for 5 Physiotherapy Tutors

An overseas training programme on Leprosy was provided for a batch of 5 Physiotherapy Tutors from the School of Physiotherapy. The training programme was held from the 17th-28th October 2016 and was conducted at the Training Unit, The Leprosy Mission Hospital, Naini, India.

Overseas training for 15 Public Health Inspectors in 2016

An overseas training programme on Leprosy control was provided for a batch of 15 PHIs, 3 each from the 5 programme districts. The training programme was held from the 6th – 17th June 2016 and was conducted at the Training Unit, The Leprosy Mission Hospital, Naini, India.

Leprosy Day 2016

FAIRMED FOUNDATION Organized an Art Competition in collaboration with the FAIRMED assisted five districts to mark the "The World Leprosy Day" which fell on the 31st of January 2016. Cash prizes for the 1st,2nd & 3rd places and 10 consolation prizes were awarded to the winners.